Protective goggles are commonly worn during various activities to provide eye protection from debris, projectiles, sharp objects, and other items that can cause eye injury. A drawback to wearing goggles, however, is that condensation may form on an inside surface of the lens when the goggles are worn. The condensation may block the wearer's vision and inhibit the ability to continue the activity until the condensation is cleared. This may require removing the goggles, which may distract from the task at hand and also expose the eyes to potential injury.
Goggles may be vented in some manner to reduce condensation by venting moisture from the goggle interior to the ambient environment. For example, openings may be included in the lens to allow moisture to vent from the goggle interior to the exterior. In some goggle designs, a shutter is used to regulate ventilation through the goggle lens. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,130 to Grabos, Jr. et al. describes a ventilation adjustment assembly for a goggle that includes a ventilated lens and shutter design. The shutter may be moved between an open position, which allows ventilation, and a closed position, which prevents ventilation.
Although conventional vented goggles may provide adequate ventilation, the design and construction of the ventilation assembly may be more complicated than desirable. Moreover, the assemblies may present a visual obstruction in the wearer's field of vision. Goggles may be made larger to position the ventilation assembly out of the field of vision, however, the resulting goggles may be bulky and awkward in size.